Saturday, October 29, 2011

Saturday baking.

It is supposed to snow in Boston tonight. Yep. Snow. Like three or so inches. In October! Crazy. So I decided to make use of this wintery-fall day by baking. I've been wanting to bake something new (and not from a box) so when I saw this recipe for pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting, I knew how I'd be spending my afternoon.

A quick trip to Whole Foods to gather a few ingredients and I was ready to bake! The recipe that I used apparently yields a ton of cookies so I decided to cut it in half since it will only be Lee and me (and baby) eating them. Here you go (the following is half of the original recipe).

Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting (makes 22-24 cookies):
Pre-heat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the following ingredients:

Using a hand mixer (or if you're a high-roller, a standing mixer), mix ingredients until smooth and then add the following:

15 oz canned pumpkin

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 and 1/2 cups flour (added in slowly)

1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg (I used 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice instead)

1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or use cooking spray). Using 2 large spoons, dollop spoon-sized amounts of dough onto a baking sheet, allowing room for cookies to spread as they bake. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely (eat one while still warm, trust me).

While the cookies are baking/cooling, make the cream cheese frosting. In a large mixing bowl, combine the following:

one 8 oz package cream cheese (softened)

1/4 cup butter (softened... or if you forget to take it out of the fridge, microwaved for 10 seconds)

1 cup powdered sugar, add SLOWLY while mixing

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Generously frost each cookie and then sprinkle the top with a bit of cinnamon or freshly ground nutmeg. Pour yourself a glass of milk and enjoy! I will say, the cookies are more cake-like than cookie-like (maybe because I put one-too-many eggs?). But that's okay as they are still delicious.

Before I became pregnant, my blog was more of an exercise-themed blog. In case you were wondering, I am still working out, I just don't blog about it as my workouts are pretty boring. They consist of speed-walks, lunges, riding the bike trainer, and upper body weights. I miss the high-mileage running of my pre-pregnancy days. But I'll get back to it. I'm thinking of running a marathon next fall (lucky #11!). Think I can make that happen??